Improvement in steam-generators



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H. C. BULL.- Steam-Generator.

Pate ntad Ja n. 26

/ INVENTDB:

i WITNESSES:

2 S heets--Sheet 2..

11. c. BULL. Steam-Generator;

Patented lan i 1 v .7 41111111457111!!! 7 Ill 4 III/l INVENTOII 1 .Y

ATTOBNEYSL v suitable kind, by means of which a UNITED STATEs PATENT QEIOE.

HENRY c. BULL, OE'NEW YORK, N. Y., AssieNo T0 HIMSELF AND "M. A.

SOUTHWORTH, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT I N STEAM-GENERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 159,069, dated.Ianuary 26, 1525; application filed July 11, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

combination of parts hereinafter. described.

; In the drawing, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a verftical section taken on theline as a: of Fig. 2. Fig 2, Sheet 1, is a horizontal section of Fig. Ttaken on the line 3 y. Fig. 1, Sheet 2,is a ver tical section of Fig. 2,taken on the linez 2. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a horizontal section of Fig.1, taken on the line z 2. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 1, takenon the line 12 22.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

H is the furnace, composed of three distinct shells or walls, J,separated so as to leave spaces K K. L is the chimney. In connec- -tionwith. the chimney I intend to use an exhauster or suction-fan (not hereshown) of any partial vacuum or draft is produced above the fire, thusdrawing air into the furnace and drawing the products of combustionupward among the water-heating tubes B and superheating-tubes y. M areopenings in the outer shell for the admission of air. The action ofthefau is intended to assist the chimney in drawing the exterior airthrough the openings m into the open spaceK, and cause the air to ascendto the top of the furnace, where'it passes through openings N in themiddle shell and into the spaceK, in which it descends to theopeningsbeneath the grate. The air for the combustion of the fuel is allsupplied in this manner. In passing down throu h the spaces K K the airbecomes heated 2111f is delivered to the fuel ,in the condition of.ahot-blast, the furnacedoors being kept tightly closed except for theintroduction of fuel. These ascending and descending currents of airentirely surround the furnace, keeping the outer shell comparativelythrough the tubes V cool, and protecting the inner shell from theeffects of intense heat. A is the water and steam reservoir, ofcylindrical form, to be placed in any convenient position apart from thefurnace. The water-line is intended to he maintained about midway in thereservoir A; The steam-superheating pipes 3 connect with the upper partof the reservoir A, where they take steam and pass into and through thefurnace, as shown in the drawing. The lower portion ofthe reservoir Aisprovided with a vertical drop-tube, U, to the lower extremity of whichis attached a suitable sedimen t-box or collector,- X. collector X bythe two lateral water-circulatin g tubes, V, which communicate with thedroptube on opposite sides thereof, and thence, re spectively, extendand communicate with the opposits ends of a circulating-cylinder, D,which, by short tubes T, com municateswith a horizontal receiving-pipe,S, which communicates with the lower ends of the water-heating pipes B,as shown. The upper ends of the pipes B communicate with the reservoir Abelow the water-line, as shown.

When the furnace is duly fired the heating of the pipes B will cause acirculation of water through thelateral tubes Y, cylinder D, pipes T S,and pipes B to the reservoir A, thence down through .the'drop-tube U,and laterally again, and so on continually while the fire is maintained.The lateral drawing off of the water from the drop-tube U by means ofthe pipes V imparts a downward movement to the water iif the drop-tube,-and the sedimentary matters contained in the water are thereby set inmotion toward the mouth of the sediment-collector X, and the downwardmotion thus given to the sedimentary particles causes them toseparatefrom the circulating current and shoot down by their inertiainto the still water contained in the collector X, .where they settleand remain A constant separation of sedimentary and foreign matterscontained in the water is thus made to take place, resulting in greatadvantages in preserving the'interior surfaces of the water-heatingtubes B in a clean and eflicient condition.

In the use of water that is highly charged The drop-tube Uis tapped justabove the v especial value.

with salts and other impurities-seawater, for example-I find itadvantageous to employ mechanical means to increase or force thecirculation of the water, so as to give a stronger downward motion tothe water in the droptube U; and I find that, when the water is heatedunder the usual boiler-pressure, and made to flo w swiftly through thedrop-tube U, as before described, the salts and other impurities willthere separate from the water and pass down into and remain in thecollector X. For the purpose of producing the aforesaid enforceddownward current in the tube U, I use a mechanical device in connectionwith the lateral pipes V, which device must be capable of drawing thewater off from tube U through pipes V and forcing it through theheating-pipes B. One form of such mechanical device is shown in thedrawing, and consists of a pair of propeller-wheels, R R, operating indifferent directions, both mounted on a shaft, Q, which operates withinand passes through the circulating-cylinder D. The propeller-shaft Q isto be operated by power in any suitable manner, and when the propellersare set in motion the water will be drawn downward with great velocitythrough the tube U into pipes V, entering the cylinder D at each end atW, passing out through pipes T into the heating-tubes B.

By means of the above-described arrangement and operation of parts I amenabled to use salt water without injury or clogging ofthe'heating-tubes B, and for thepurposes of marine steam navigation Ihave reason to believe that my inventionwill prove to be of Suitableopenings are to be made in the collector for the removal of the depositstherein made. When the propellers are not in operation a circulation ofwater and a separation of sediment will take place, as before described,but the separation will not be so rapid and elfective as when thepropellers and forced circulator are in operation.

In the use of various waters, such, for example, as the Mississippiriver water, in which the sediment is composed chiefly of floating mud,the use of the forced circulation will be unnecessary, as the naturalcirculation and downward motion of the water in tube U will besufiicient to induce the separation of the sediment, and in such casesthe propellers or pumps may be omitted from the apparatus; but in theuse of sea waters and waters charged with salts I find the use of theforced current and an apparatus for its production to be highlyadvantageous. Among other advantageous functions of the drop U is itsuse as a safety-distributor of the water from the reservoir A. In casethe water in the reservoir becomes greatly exhausted the pipes B willstill be supplied with water and preserved from injury by the watercontained in the drop-tube. Until the water is exhausted from thedrop-tube the tubes B will not become unduly heated. The top of thereservoir A is to be providedwith safety-valves, in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the outer and inner shells JJ, having, respectively, openings M and O, of the central partition J,having openings N, the said parts being arranged with the. spaces K Kbetween them, all as shown and described, whereby air to supportcombustion is caused to take the course indicated and discharge beneaththe grate or into the fire, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the drop-tube and generating-tube -B, of thedrum D, lateral pipes V, central tube T, and the propellerwheels,operating in opposite directions, as and for the purpose specified.

HENRY C. BULL.

Witnesses:

T. B. MOSHER,

ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

